


here stands a man

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 12x09, Coda, Episode: s12e09 First Blood, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-20 08:43:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9483404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Dean’s mind was still pulsing, shooting out information from its beginnings to its ends, his hands now shaking as the adrenaline had finally worn off.(post-12x09 coda. title from 'the war' by syml)





	

When they got back to the bunker, it was as clean as ever, it smelled like it always did, and Dean had to hold onto the railing as the four of them made the trek down the stairs.

_ We’re home,  _ Dean’s mind screamed, and once at the bottom of the flight his eyes went wide with the realization that had taken hours to click.  _ We’re alive, and we’re home. Mom’s here, Cas is here- _

_ Cas. Castiel. _

And Dean was aware that both him and Sam weren’t quite up to standard just yet; a few days worth of sleep and a few not-so-healthy meals - that’s all it would’ve taken them a few years before.

But now Mom was alive, and Cas was here. Both Sam and Dean carried drooping eyelids and heavy steps, sluggish, broken, processing.

Mary spotted it in Sam, first, who stood on her left side. 

She reached for his hand, a shy gesture, and he nodded just as meekly, eyes on the bookshelves nearby, gaze unwavering, out of either shock or fear. Together, Mary leading and Sam in tow, they moved off down the hall. Their steps were perfectly in-time, a miraculously well-oiled machine with little to no use. Mary looked back at Dean, met his eyes and gave him a smile before turning the corner to their bedrooms. 

Dean’s mind was still pulsing, shooting out information from its beginnings to its ends, his hands now shaking as the adrenaline had finally worn off. 

_ We’re alive, and they’re not looking for us anymore. Sam and Mom are down the hall. We’re okay. It’s okay. We’re alive. _

‘We’re alive,’ Dean murmured, the words slipping from his lips as he repeated it to himself, a mantra, a confirmation that the deal struck at midnight had found another path to follow.

There was a hand on Dean’s shoulder, a small hum of agreement, and when he turned, it was Cas’ eyes he met. 

‘ _ Never  _ make a deal of that sort, ever again,’ Cas said, his tone turned toward angry but his expression giving him away; he was upset, and scared, but Dean was here, not in a prison that didn’t exist, or on a long stretch of highway in the middle of nowhere. There were no trained soldiers with laser sight rifles, or government officials that wanted him and Sam dead. ‘It has to be one of the most stupid things you and Sam have ever done.’

Dean let out an exhale, verging on a chuckle, and it was the most comfort that Cas had had in months. ‘That bad, huh? ‘cos we have done a  _ lot  _ of stupid things.’

Cas nodded, a small smile managing to turn up the corners of his lips. ‘I know.’

And then Dean was turning, winding one arm around Cas’ torso and the other around his neck. He felt Cas give in instinctively, and soon they stood as one at the foot of the bunker stairs, Dean’s forehead against Cas’ shoulder, small and shaky breaths escaping him. Cas just held Dean tighter with every sudden flinch, every cold gust that washed over his skin, every small noise that escaped from down the hall. Cas stilled Dean’s shaking hands with comforting touches, a hand in his hair, a gentle kiss to his temple. They stood immortal, one being, one life force, one plane on which to exist, which would not be equal without the other party’s presence.

Dean let out a quiet, shuddering breath, eyes falling closed against the fabric of Cas’ coat. 

_ We’re alive,  _ his brain whispered. He heard Cas breathing, the smallest, but most meaningful of assurances.  _ I’m home. _

 

**Author's Note:**

> come scream about spn with me on tumblr: dandymot.tumblr.com


End file.
